Fire-alarm box



(N Model.) 1 l J. SPEICHER. FIRE ALARM BOX. No.'408,762. V Patented Aug.13,1889L o wf 1 l llimllalfl nl UNITED `STATES PATENT Frio-E.

J OI-IN SPEICHER, OF JERSEY CITY,`ASSIGN OR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NEWARK DISTRICT TELEGRAPI-I COMPANY,

OF NEWARK, NEV JERSEY.

FIRE-ALARM BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,762, dated August13, 1889.

Application filed October 3, 1888. Serial No. 287,683. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SPEICHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-AlarmBoxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a fire-alarm box moreparticularly for use in private houses, factories, and like positions,

supplemental to the ordinary alarm system,

of a reduced cost of construction and of greater simplicity, and onewhich will automatically transmit the number of the station, so that thelocation of the fire will be indicated at the central station.

The invention consists in the improved fire;

In said drawings, a indicates a suitable box or case adapted to containthe circuit-breaking mechanism.A b is a circuit-wheel pivoted in saidbox on an arbor`c, which may be a screw. Said wheel is provided `with adrum CZ, upon which a cord e is wound, and with a spring f, which givesreturn movement to the wheel after it has been'tnrned the desireddistance in one direction, the said spring being secured to a suitablefixture gand to the hub of the wheel in any suitable manner. On the faceof the wheel, near the periphery thereof, is an annular projection orrib Zt, which is open, as at t'. Within said rib, concentric thereto, isformed a series of projections j,

corresponding to or varying with the number of the box.

Adjacent to the wheel Z9 are arranged contact-springs Zo Z, held by aninsulated bracket m and connected with line-wires n n, one of saidsprings being provided with a lateral extension o, Fig. 2, whichprojects toward the face of the wheel and engages with the rib andprojection Ztj. One end of the rib Zt, at the opening c, is providedwith an inclined guiding-spring p, which extends toward and close to theinner series of projections j.

By drawing on the cord e, connected with the circuit-wheel, the latteris made to turn from its normal position and to make an initialmovement. At the beginning of this movement the spring Z, forming one ofthe terminals of the circuit, rides over the incline p onto the rib orprojection formed on the wheel, as at h, the lateral extension o passingthrough the opening t', as will be understood. The extension o of thespring Z remains on the rib ZL, held from engagement with the signalingprojections j during the whole of the said initial movement. At the endof the said initial movement or stroke the spring is allowed to dropdown Vthrough the opening t' upon one of the series of projections j,the wheel having been broughtback to or near its normal position. Theoperator then releases the cord e, and the wheel is allowed to make asecond or return movement, spring f acting to cause the wheel to movereciprocally in reverse direction. The spring Z drops at each openingbetween the projections jj, and thus breaks the contact between thepoints Ze and Z, and thus an alarm is transmitted to the alarm-bell. Themovement of the wheel is impeded or governed by a governor q, whichengages the toothed periphery b of said wheel. Said governor retards themovement of the wheel, so that the alarm mechanism on the mainalarm-circuit has time to act. The spring p, held by the rib Z7, at theclose of `the return or reverse movement of the wheel, allows theextension 0 of the springZ to pass under it, so'that when the wheel isagain turned by the hand the extension will ride up the incline, as willbe understood. The projections j of the wheel may be multiplied, so thatby a single revolution two or more rounds of the alarm maybetransmitted.

A galvanometer may be used in connection with the box to enable the lineto be tested to locate interferences or breaks on the line.

Suitable stops for limiting the movement of the circuit-wheel are or maybe provided, as at r and s, one of said parts being on the wheel and theother on the box or other fixture.

Having thus described the invention,what I claim as new is 1. In aire-alarm boX, a circuit-wl1eel,arib h, open as at z', and a series ofprojections j, in combination with contact-points k Z, one of whichengages said rib and projections, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

2. In combination, in a tire-alarm box, a circuit-wheel having teeth7)', a rib 7i, and projections 7' j, corresponding with the number ofthe box, a spring Z, having an extension o, a contact-spring k, and agovernor, all said parts being arranged and operating substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination, in a hre-alarm box, a circuit-wheel having a drum d,rib h, a concentric series of projections j, corresponding with thenumber of the signal-station, a spring f, cord e, and governor, all saidparts being arranged and combined substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

4. In a fire-alarm box, the combination of the wheel b, having a springp, rib hf, and projections j j, and a contact-spring Z, having a lateralextension and co-operating contactpoint, all said parts being arrangedand combined substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination, in a {ire-alarm box, with a reciprocatingcircuit-changer having a series of signaling projections thereon forchanging the relations of the terminals of the circuit on which the boxis stationed to one another, a rib or formation h, disposed 011 saidchanger adjacent to said signaling projections to hold one of saidterminals during the ini tial stroke or movement of the reciprocatingchanger, and having a guide j), of a handle e, to allor7 the operator togive said initial movement, means, as described, for giving returnmovement to said changer, and said terminals arranged in said boxadjacent to said changer and engaging the same, first during the initialstroke on the said rib or formation h and then during the return-strokeon the signaling projections, all said parts being arranged and adaptedto operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this20th day of September, ISSS.

JOHN SPEICHER.

IVitnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, CoNsTANcE II. BALDWIN.

